Definition of PERNICIOUS

pernicious

Meanings

Adjective Satellite

  • exceedingly harmful
  • working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way

Adj

  • Causing much harm in a subtle way.
  • Causing death or injury; deadly.
  • Insidiously villainous: intending to cause harm, especially in a subtle way.
  • swift; celeritous.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English, from Old French pernicios, from Latin perniciōsus (“destructive”), from perniciēs (“destruction”), from per (“through”) + nex (“slaughter, death”).

Scrabble Score: 14

pernicious is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
pernicious is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
pernicious is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 18

pernicious is a valid Words With Friends word